Jazz artists to open new Mount Clemens venue

Macomb Music Theatre — formerly known as the Emerald Theatre in downtown Mount Clemens — will host its first show under new ownership in April with a trio of award-winning jazz artists.

In a related development, the owners of the venue say they’ve also acquired Johnny G’s, a bar next door to the theater, which will provide a kitchen to provide food for events at Macomb Music Theatre.

The first show at Macomb Music Theatre will feature jazz saxophonist Gerald Albright, guitarist Norman Brown and pianist Alex Bugnon on Saturday, April 13. Tickets will go on sale Monday.

Jerry Costa, the venue’s new general manager, said the show is the first of several upcoming dates at the historic theater. But renovations are still under way and a grand opening will not be held until this summer.

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“All of the artists that we are booking are upper-level type acts and most of them have either won a Grammy or have been nominated for Grammy or other music industry awards,” Costa said Tuesday.

“We’re still firming up our schedule but we’ll have more shows — comedy, rock, jazz, and a pop artist — coming up in April, May and June. We’re moving forward.”

The three jazz artists, winners of multiple Grammy Awards, will each play a 60-minute set.

Albright, a multi-instrumentalist, has worked with a variety of stars including Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, Patrice Rushen, Anita Baker and others. He was among the sax players who performed at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration. His latest CD, “Pushing the Envelope,” was released on the Terarc label.

Brown is smooth jazz guitarist and singer whose style is often compared to George Benson. He won a Grammy Award in 2003 for Best Pop Instrumental Album for 2002’s “Just Chillin’” and scored a No. 1 jazz hit in 2007 with “Let’s Take a Ride.”

Bugnon, the winner of two Soul Train Music Awards, has had Top 40 R&B CDs including “Love Season” and “Head Over Heels.”

The new owners of the one-time vaudeville theater that first opened in 1921 — Wally Mona and Marc Beginin — have been working on a $2 million restoration project since they acquired the property this past fall. They plan to change it from a nightclub to a mixed-use entertainment facility that can host anything from concerts to wedding receptions.

They also are now running Johnny G’s bar.

Beginin, an Oakland County-based entertainment attorney, said they’ve pushed back the grand opening because they want to take their time in the restoration, but will have bands booked in the meantime.

“We want to bring this building back to all of its glory from 1921 and make it absolutely beautiful when we do,” he said. “This is a work in progress.”

Pre-sale tickets for the April 13 show are $39.50. For more information, visit www.macombmusictheatre.com.